Miles Messervy

Miles Messervy (died 1981) was a Vice Admiral in the British Royal Navy and the head of MI6 during the first decades of the Cold War.

Biography
Before becoming known as "M", Miles Messervy served in the British Royal Navy during World War II, and he rose to the rank of Vice Admiral; he turned down the post of fourth Sea Lord when the head of MI6 was assassinated at his desk, and Messervy was appointed the new MI6 head. Messervy was known as a strict disciplinarian who collected cutlasses at his house and went to upscale clubs that he could not afford with his pay. He reduced the amount of operative casualties after taking the job, and he was the boss of the several "James Bond" agents, all of whom were highly successful in their missions. Messervy was head of MI6 from the 1950s until his 1981 death while on leave.